Effect of high concentration of ammonia on cultured hepatocytes of eel (Anguilla japonica)

Abstract

1. High concentration of ammonia (13.5 and 23.3 mM) was effective for maintenance of normal morphology of cultured eel hepatocytes.

2. Synthesis of urea did not increase by addition of ammonia to eel hepatocytes.

3. Intracellular protein content in hepatocytes cultured with ammonia was higher than that in control cells.

4. Consumption of essential amino acids, especially Thr, Val, Ile, and Lys, in the medium was reduced by addition of ammonia.

5. A Glu-derivative was synthesized by cultured hepatocytes. The amount of the derivative in the medium was the highest next to that of Gly and increased as the concentration of ammonia in the medium increased.

6. Specific activity of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) in cultured hepatocytes increased as the concentration of ammonia increased and the activity of GDH in hepatocytes cultured in the presence of 23.3 mM ammonia was 2.6 times higher than that in the control cells.